Dell joins Microsoft/Novell alliance

Computer giant Dell is the first systems provider to join in the coalition between Microsoft and Novell to better integrate open-source Linux software with Windows.

The collaboration consists of a wide range of business and technological agreements intended to make their products better work together and serve corporate customers using both Linux and Windows computer servers, reported Reuters.

Dell’s involvement will mean that it will purchase certificates for Suse Linux Enterprise Server, Novell's operating system. It will also establish a services and marketing program to migrate existing Linux users who are not Dell Linux customers to Suse Linux, claimed Microsoft.

The original deal between Microsoft and Novell was signed last Novemeber. Since then more than 40,000 new certificates for three-year priority support subscriptions to SLES have been activated.